The Town Files

Howell, Michigan

Township in Livingston County · population 7,893 (2020 Census)

Map: where Howell is in MichiganHowell
Median home
$276,400
Household income
$86,083
Jan low / Jul high
14° / 83°
Snow a year
33 in
Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
15
Median age
39.9

Howell is a township of 7,893 people in Livingston County, Michigan. The median home is worth $276,400, above the typical Michigan town ($193,900). It ranks more upscale than 78% of Michigan towns, more of a college town than 74% of Michigan towns, better for young professionals than 71% of Michigan towns.

Howell in our rankings:

How Howell ranks

Percentile among Michigan towns with at least 500 people on The Town Files lifestyle rankings. 50 is typical for the state; 90 means better than 90% of Michigan towns.

Howell lifestyle rankings vs other Michigan townsRetirement37th pctFamilies52nd pctQuiet30th pctWalkability49th pctFirst-time buyers48th pctYoung professionals71st pctVibrancy71st pctHip & trendy48th pctCollege town74th pctUpscale78th pctVacation homesbottomSeaside characterbottomCyclingbottomTransit70th pctDriving54th pcttypical
The Town Files lifestyle rankings, built from federal demographic, school, crime and housing data (2025).

Homes and cost of living

The median home in Howell is worth $276,400, above the typical Michigan town ($193,900). Homes cost about 3.2 times the median household income of $86,083, which is more affordable than 31% of Michigan towns. Median rent is $1,899 a month. 90.0% of households own their home.

Howell vs Livingston County vs typical Michigan townHowellLivingston CountyTypical Michigan townHome value$276,400$356,800$193,900Household income$86,083$103,039$69,792Monthly rent$1,899$1,287$955
Census ACS 5-year estimates, 2020–2024. "Typical town" = median of Michigan towns with 500+ people.
HousingHowellTypical Michigan town
Median home value$276,400$193,900
Median rent$1,899$955
Median household income$86,083$69,792
Home value ÷ income3.2×2.8×
Homeownership90.0%86.8%
Median year built19951975
Seasonal / vacation homes0.0%—

Who lives in Howell

PeopleHowellTypical Michigan town
Median age39.943.7
Age 65 and over19.5%20.7%
Under 1821.2%—
Bachelor's degree or higher28.8%21.5%
Below the poverty line7.2%10.4%
Veterans9.2%—
Born outside the U.S.3.2%—
Work from home15.8%9.1%
Average commute32.0 min25.6 min
Homes with broadband92.6%88.8%

Weather in Howell

July highs average 83.2°F and January lows 14.4°F. About 33.1 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 33.2 inches of snow (typical Michigan town: 52.1 in). Expect about 13 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 154 nights at or below freezing.

Howell monthly temperatures and precipitation10°20°30°40°50°60°70°80°90°32° freezing31°14°Jan35°15°Feb44°24°Mar58°34°Apr69°45°May79°55°Jun83°58°Jul81°57°Aug75°49°Sep62°38°Oct48°29°Nov36°21°DecPrecipitation (in) · snow (in) in blue2.110.41.67.92.04.12.90.73.63.73.03.63.12.92.41.22.08.9
NOAA 1991–2020 climate normals: average daily high and low by month; precipitation and snowfall in inches. Temperatures from the Howell Wwtp station (4.1 mi away).

Tornadoes, storms and disasters

15 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Howell since 1950, compared with 10 for the typical Michigan town. 6 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an EF2, struck on August 24, 2023 about 8.8 miles from the town center and killed 2. Tornadoes within 10 miles have caused 2 deaths and 5 injuries since 1950. The most recent was on August 24, 2023.

Tornadoes within 10 miles of Howell by decade11950s11960s31970s21980s21990s32000s12010s22020s
NOAA Storm Events Database, tornado tracks (start to end point) passing within 10 miles of the town center, 1950–2026.

Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 21 times; the largest was 4.50 inches on July 26, 1978.

Severe weather in Livingston County since 1996

Storm events in Livingston County since 1996 by typeHail71Heat15Flood19Tornado11High Wind27Lightning13Heavy Snow38Winter Storm19
NOAA Storm Events Database, Livingston County, 1996–2026 (all event types recorded since 1996). 1 deaths recorded.

Livingston County has been included in 9 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for flood, other, hurricane.

DeclaredIncidentDeclaration
February 8, 2024FloodDR-4757: Severe Storms, Tornadoes, And Flooding
March 27, 2020BiologicalDR-4494: Covid-19 Pandemic
March 13, 2020BiologicalEM-3455: Covid-19
September 7, 2005HurricaneEM-3225: Hurricane Katrina Evacuation
June 30, 2004Severe StormDR-1527: Severe Storms, Tornadoes, And Flooding

Jobs and pay in Livingston County

Livingston County had 64,380 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $57,015 a year. Unemployment was 2.7% in 2023; in Howell itself the ACS puts it at 4.3%.

Largest industries in Livingston CountyManufacturing9,756 jobs · $74,038Retail8,298 jobs · $43,841Health care & social assistan…7,974 jobs · $48,588Hotels & restaurants7,462 jobs · $23,442Professional & technical serv…4,832 jobs · $65,020Construction4,536 jobs · $78,008
BLS Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, 2024, private-sector jobs and average annual pay.
Unemployment rate in Livingston County, 2000–20230%2%4%6%8%10%12%2000200420082012201620202023Livingston 2.7%
Annual average unemployment rate (BLS Local Area Unemployment Statistics via USDA ERS).

Towns near Howell

Howell questions

Is Howell, Michigan a good place to retire?

On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Howell scores better for retirees than 37% of Michigan towns and quieter than 30%. 19.5% of residents are 65 or older (median age 39.9).

How much does a house cost in Howell?

The median owner-occupied home in Howell is valued at $276,400 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $86,083, so homes cost about 3.2 times income. Median rent is $1,899 a month.

What is the weather like in Howell?

July highs average 83.2°F and January lows 14.4°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 33.1 inches of precipitation a year and 33.2 inches of snow.

Does Howell get tornadoes?

15 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Howell since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was an EF2 on August 24, 2023. The typical Michigan town has had 10.

How this page is made. Every number comes from public data, matched to Howell's Census boundary (GEOID 2609339560). Comparisons use the median of Michigan towns with at least 500 people. Weather comes from the nearest NOAA normals station; storm counts use NOAA tornado tracks within 10 miles of the town center. Data snapshot 2026-11-13.